Engaging with Parliaments: Advice to Civil Society

This research paper by Victoria Ayer provides strategic advice for civil society organisations (CSOs) to influence parliaments and achieve legislative change, particularly in developing democracies. It emphasizes the importance of understanding electoral systems, conducting non-partisan research, building long-term relationships with political 'champions', and maintaining organisational legitimacy through financial transparency and community rooting.

• The type of electoral system significantly impacts a Member of Parliament's (MP) ability to act independently. MPs in 'single-member district' systems using 'first-past-the-post' voting typically have a stronger individual power base to bargain with their parties compared to those in multi-member districts or closed-list systems. In sub-Saharan Africa, only nine democracies—Botswana, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, and Zambia—use the strict single-member majority system.
• Parliaments in developing democracies often suffer from severe resource constraints, including a lack of staff, neglected research archives, and insufficient training for MPs. For example, the Ethiopian parliament continued to vote by a show of hands two years into its term despite having electronic voting machines, due to a lack of resources or will to train MPs.
• Civil society organisations can provide critical value to MPs by gathering and analysing accurate, non-partisan information, which MPs often lack. CSOs are encouraged to conduct surveys in an MP's district to demonstrate constituent concern before approaching them, as this provides the MP with a compelling case for action.
• Effective advocacy requires identifying and supporting a 'champion'—ideally an MP from the governing party—who can openly support the cause and navigate the institution's levers of power. Building this relationship should be a long-term process involving at least two meetings per year to maintain trust, rather than only contacting the MP during crises.
• To maintain political credibility and legitimacy, CSOs should be transparent about their budgets and rooted in their own communities. The author suggests soliciting small token contributions from the public to build a membership base of voters, noting that the Uganda Change Agents Association receives 50% of its funds from member dues.
• Strategic use of the media is essential for creating public support for a cause and persuading political elites. CSOs should avoid using the media only for scandals or donor events and instead create 'properly packaged newsworthy events', aiming for a minimum of four media events per year.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2008). Engaging with Parliaments: Advice to Civil Society. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/Occasional-Paper-8.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Engaging with Parliaments: Advice to Civil Society. 2008. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/Occasional-Paper-8.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Engaging with Parliaments: Advice to Civil Society |date=July 2008 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/Occasional-Paper-8.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2008engaging, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Engaging with Parliaments: Advice to Civil Society}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2008}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/Occasional-Paper-8.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }